The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering a strict ban on the ‘girlfriend culture’ in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to prevent potential information leaks and preserve the professional environment of the tournament.

According to a report in Dainik Jagran, the board is concerned over the growing trend of players' partners travelling with squads.

While the BCCI has no issues with players dating, it is opposed to partners staying within team environments and traveling with the team.

Notably, players like Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Ishan Kishan, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have partners travel and stay with them. Several partners are social media influencers, with some reportedly having promoted betting apps, creating a risk of leaking sensitive information.

The board aims to lay down guidelines to ensure professional focus, which could come into effect from the next IPL season.

“A BCCI official has stated that discussions are underway. There are no issues with wives and family members travelling with players, but the matter is considered more serious in the case of girlfriends. Earlier, girlfriends were not allowed to stay with players during the IPL, but it has now become a trend,” the report stated.

“When a BCCI official raised the issue with a member of the Anti-Corruption Unit, the representative said they are not permitted to object to wives and “official girlfriends”. When the board questioned the term “official girlfriend”, the member said that is what they had been instructed.”

The board is also considering tightening its Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) regulations or completely banning girlfriends from travelling and staying with players.

“Among them (girlfriends) are several influencers who have previously promoted betting (gambling) websites. Recently, some IPL players have also faced Police cases filed by their female companions,” the report mentioned.

The IPL 2026 season has already witnessed a couple of controversies, including the Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder being caught using a phone in the dugout and their skipper Riyan Parag vaping inside the dressing room.